With about 2,000 in the pot, three players saw a flop of , which they all checked. When the hit the turn, an early-position player checked to David Gorr, who bet 1,200. It was enough to get both his opponents to fold, and provided us the perfect opportunity to let you know that the defending Aussie Millions Champion upped his stack to 12,000.
Meanwhile, UK pro James Dempsey has been eliminated from the tournament.
We happened upon McLean Karr's table as the dealer was taking from his stack. James Dempsey had also wandered to the table, and Karr explained he got it in good preflop. Indeed, the had out in front of him while his opponent held . Unfortunately for Karr, the board ran out and his opponent rivered a straight.
Earlier we reported on a tough table in the room that contained Jim Collopy, Daniel Kelly, and Joseph Cheong. While we were right that it was going to be tough, we we'ren't expecting it to be tough for the pros!
Collopy was the first eliminated, and not long after Cheong followed him out the door. Now, Kelly is the last pro standing at the table, though he is below the starting stack with 7,000.
New Zealand's Danny ‘Brotha D’ Leaoasavaii has just taken a small hit to his stack. Leaoasavaii was in a hand with just one opponent when a flop was dealt. When both players checked on the flop, a was dealt on the turn.
Leaoasavaii led for 1,200 on the turn and his opponent called as a landed on the river. This Leaoasavaii opted to check and his opponent fired out 5,000. After a few moments time, Leaoasavaii made the call.
When Leaoasavaii's opponent turned over , Leaoasavaii tapped the felt and flipped over a single .
Action folded to Michael Kanaan in middle position and he put in a raise to 450. The next player to act, who was in the hijack, then shoved all in for 3,075. Action folded back around to Kanaan and he made a hesitant call and added, "Alright, I'll gamble."
Showdown
Kanaan:
Hijakc:
Much to Kanaan's surprise, he was a dominating favorite. The flop lead the hijack to say, "I'll take a jack," referring to the possibility of a chop if a jack hit along with a card higher than a seven. Unfortunately for him, the turn was not it. While the river was, Kanaan's seven played as kicker to take down the pot and eliminated the hijack.
Kanaan is off to a quick start and is up to 40,000.
Given that he was short stacked, we ventured back to Leo Boxell's table to see how he was doing. We caught a hand that featured a flop of , and two players had checked to Boxell in the cutoff. He promptly moved all in for 2,600, inspiring the button and both checkers to fold.
It was a small one, but Boxell increased his stack to 4,000.
We came to Daniel Kelly's table with a flop showing and Kelly in the hand against one opponent. Kelly's opponent was first to act and he would check as Kelly threw out 400.
A call on the flop would see the hit the turn and this time Kelly's opponent would led - making it 1,400. Kelly made a quick call and the completed the board. Kelly's opponent would again lead, this time for 2,200. Kelly instantly called which prompted his opponent to violently muck his cards quicker than Kelly even made the call.
The 2012 Aussie Millions Poker Championship kicked off Thursday with the $1,000 No-Limit Hold’em Opening Event. Crown officials told PokerNews that in celebration of the Aussie Millions’ 10th anniversary, a special Tournament of Champions will be held on Saturday, Jan. 21 — the day before the Main Event.
Tournament officials have confirmed that eight of the nine Aussie Millions champions will attend. Alexander Kostritsyn, 2008 winner, will not be able to attend.
The eight players who will attend are Peter Costa (2003), Tony Bloom (2004), Jamil Dia (2005), Lee Nelson (2006), Gus Hansen (2007), Stewart Scott (2009), Tyron Krost (2010), and David Gorr (2011).
The champions will compete for a “golden ticket,” which will award the winner a lifetime of buy-ins to the Aussie Millions Main Event.
“I’m really excited about having all of the former champions return to celebrate our 10th anniversary,” said Christian Vaughan, tournament director at Crown. “This will be the first time Jamil Dia has been back since his win in 2005 and we haven’t seen Peter Costa in many years. It’s thrilling to have all these great players under the same roof and battling it out for a lifetime freeroll at the Aussie Millions.”
button in Safari
, which they all checked. When the 
hit the turn, an early-position player checked to David Gorr, who bet 1,200. It was enough to get both his opponents to fold, and provided us the perfect opportunity to let you know that the defending Aussie Millions Champion upped his stack to 12,000.
out in front of him while his opponent held 
. Unfortunately for Karr, the board ran out 
and his opponent rivered a straight.
flop was dealt. When both players checked on the flop, a 
was dealt on the turn.
landed on the river. This Leaoasavaii opted to check and his opponent fired out 5,000. After a few moments time, Leaoasavaii made the call.
, Leaoasavaii tapped the felt and flipped over a single 
.
hit the turn and this time Kelly's opponent would led - making it 1,400. Kelly made a quick call and the 
completed the board. Kelly's opponent would again lead, this time for 2,200. Kelly instantly called which prompted his opponent to violently muck his cards quicker than Kelly even made the call.
